


Two-Sides of the Same Coin

by belleuncleher



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: M/M, POV of oswald obviously, an exploration of oswald's psyche i guess, briefly mentioned ed/isabella, how oswald became the penguin, one-sided oswald/ed, very short but may become part of a work of the inner thoughts of gotham characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-05-08
Packaged: 2018-10-29 11:18:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10852896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belleuncleher/pseuds/belleuncleher
Summary: There are two sides to the former kingpin of Gotham's underworld, and there are two people who made him that way.





	Two-Sides of the Same Coin

**Author's Note:**

> I would love to know what you all think of this! This is my first attempt at writing Gotham characters but I love them; I think that they are so incredibly intricate. 
> 
> If you want, come talk to me @ therlddler.tumblr.com!
> 
> Also, I'm thinking about making this a collection of character explorations, maybe Jim or Ed could be next (or Barbara, I think Barbara would be amazing to explore).

There was a difference between Oswald and the Penguin.

Oswald was the one who loved lilies, who liked to soak in the bathtub, who wanted his hair stroked when he was nervous or anxious or sad or lonely. Oswald was the one who felt too much.

The Penguin was the one who acted on those emotions.

Oswald guessed when Fish Mooney broke his leg, she broke something else in him too.

Before Oswald would take sneers and snide remarks, repeating the words that his mother would whisper to him over and over, he would be a great man, they were just jealous because he was handsome and smart, but he didn’t feel handsome or smart. He felt weak and helpless and cowardly.

But not after Fish Mooney stepped on his leg, putting more and more pressure until Oswald heard a crack and then pain, blinding, searing pain, and then sudden relief, relief that came from red-hot anger that washed over him, soaked him like a tsunami. He was soaked to the bone by rage, submerged in pure fury, but submerged is where penguins thrive.

After that, Oswald didn’t feel handsome or smart, but he felt powerful.

That was, of course, until Edward Nygma came into the Penguin’s life.

He remembered the first time he came in contact with the man who thought a riddle was the best way to forge a friendship, the man who stared for too long, the man who saw Oswald as the Penguin, not as the sniveling freak who used to hold Fish Mooney’s umbrella. It was always Mr. Penguin, next Mayor Cobblepot, and then slowly and surely Oswald.

It seemed only fitting. Edward Nygma came looking for the Penguin, but it was Oswald who fell in love with him.

It was Oswald who sat tortured, trying to find a way to tell Edward that he loved him. It was Oswald who needed courage to be himself, and he found that courage when he looked into Ed’s eyes. It was Oswald who felt like the floor had fallen out from underneath him when he looked into Ed’s eyes and saw love, love at first sight, not for him, for Isabella.

He wished it was the Penguin who killed Isabella. The truth is that was Oswald too.

Edward Nygma came looking for the Penguin, but he only found Oswald, the man who loved him unconditionally but the man he could never love back.

Oswald got rid of the girl that Edward loved, that loved Edward. It was only fair that Edward get rid of one who loved him as well.  
Oswald knew that when Ed Nygma put a hole through Oswald’s abdomen, it would be a hole he could never fill.

For the second time in Oswald’s life, he heard a loud noise followed by searing pain. Only this time, the pain was blinding. No, no matter how hard Oswald tried, he could not stop seeing the eyes of Edward Nygma, the emptiness, there was nothing in them for Oswald. The wave washed over him once more, this time love turned to sorrow, longing turned to surrender, and surrender gave into the icy cold. Oswald knew he was sinking, sinking further and further from Ed Nygma, but the eyes never broke their gaze.

Once again Oswald was submerged, choking, sinking.

It was Oswald who sank into the Gotham Harbor.

But it was the Penguin who emerged.


End file.
